Universal multi-station document inserter

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for providing a universal multi-station document inserter, including the steps of providing a plurality of feeder stations for feeding documents in response to signals from a central processor, providing each feeder station with a unique address, storing feeder programs in distributed processors associated with the feeder stations which provide instructions to each feeder station for feeding documents, storing a supervisory program in the central processor which is capable of providing address and command signals to the distributed processors of the feeder stations, and interconnecting the central processor and the distributed processors for the transmission of signals so that upon receipt of the proper address and command signals at the feeder stations, the feeder stations will provide certain document feeding functions under control of the central processor in accordance with instructions programmed into the distributed processors associated therewith.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing a universal multistation document inserter for inserting documents into an envelope, including the steps of: providing a central processor;   providing a plurality of modular feeder stations for feeding documents in response to signals from the central processor;   providing each feeder station with a unique address;   storing predetermined feeder programs in distributed processors associated, respectively, with each of the modular feeder stations, each of the feeder programs providing instructions to the associated feeder station for feeding documents;   storing a supervisory program in the central processor operative for providing address and command signals to the distributed processors of the feeder stations;   interconnecting the central processor and the distributed processors for the communication of signals so that upon receipt of the proper address and command signals at a particular distributed processor, the associated feeder station will execute its document feeding functions under control of the central processor in accordance with instructions programmed in the distributed processor;   transporting a coded document from feeder station to feeder station; and   scanning the coded document and inputting the coded information to the central processor for controlling the operation of each feeder station.   
     
     
       2. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: communicating end of collation signals to the feeder stations in response to the codes on the coded documents.   
     
     
       3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of storing a supervisory program comprises: storing the supervisory program in a plurality of PROMS, one PROM of which includes a data table that specifies a particular inserter configuration and the functions to be performed for that inserter configuration.   
     
     
       4. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: scanning for the presence of a coded document at each feeder station of said plurality of feeder stations to provide input data to the central processor regarding the status of the coded document.   
     
     
       5. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: converting output signals from the central processor to high level voltage signals for actuating a means for transporting documents from one feeder station of said plurality of feeder stations to the next feeder station.   
     
     
       6. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: sequentially actuating feeder stations and feeding documents from feeder station to feeder station beginning with the last feeder station during a Sequence Start Mode to ensure a complete initial collation of documents to be fed from the feeder stations.   
     
     
       7. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: sequentially deactivating the feeder stations one by one beginning with the last feeder station during a Sequence Stop Mode to ensure that a partial collation of documents is not left in a feeder station of the document inserter.   
     
     
       8. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: accessing the central processor to provide a Diagnostic Mode and a visual display associated with said Diagnostic Mode.   
     
     
       9. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: displaying fault signals indicating the location of the fault and providing a description thereof in human readable form.   
     
     
       10. The method recited in claim 1, including the step of: changing the configuration of the document inserter by instructions submitted to the central processor by the inserter operator.   
     
     
       11. The method recited in claim 10, including the steps of: retaining for reference the initial central processor configuration when changes are made; and   displaying the initial central processor configuration when requested.   
     
     
       12. The method recited in claim 1, wherein: the central processor is interconnected to the distributed processors through a signal bus and provides unique address codes for the distributed processors.   
     
     
       13. A method for providing a universal multistation document inserter, comprising the steps of: providing a central processor;   providing a plurality of feeder stations for feeding documents in response to control signals from the central processor;   providing each feeder station with a unique address;   storing predetermined feeder programs in distributed processors associated, respectively, with each of the feeder stations, each of the feeder programs providing instructions to each associated feeder station for feeding documents in response to control signals from the central processor;   storing a supervisory program in the central processor which is operative for providing address and command signals to the distributed processors of the feeder stations;   interconnecting the central processor and the distributed processors for the communication of signals so that upon receipt of the proper address and command signals at a particular distributed processor, the associated feeder station will execute its document feeding functions under control of the central processor in accordance with the instructions programmed into the distributed processor;   scanning coded control documents to provide input signals to the central processor upon detection of predetermined document codes; and   converting output signals from the central processor to high level voltage signals for actuating document transport devices associated with the document inserter.   
     
     
       14. The method recited in claim 13, including the steps of; sequentially feeding coded documents from one feeder station to another;   feeding documents from a feeder station in response to command signals from the central processor.   
     
     
       15. The method recited in claim 13, including the step of: accessing the supervisory program to provide a Diagnostic Mode for servicing the inserter.   
     
     
       16. The method recited in claim 13, including the steps of: changing the configuration of the inserter by instructions submitted to the central processor by the inserter operator.   
     
     
       17. The method recited in claim 16, including the steps of: retaining for reference the original inserter configuration in the central processor after the configuration has been changed by the operator; and   displaying the initial programmed configuration when requested.   
     
     
       18. A method of providing a universal multistation document inserter, including the steps of: providing a plurality of feeder stations for feeding documents in response to signals from a central processor;   storing a supervisory program including a data table in the central processor which includes information on the type of feeder stations and the function to be performed thereby;   scanning documents for a document code;   providing a signal indicative of the presence of a coded document to a central processor;   providing a unique address for each feeder station;   accessing the data table stored in the central processor to determine the type of feeder station present at each feeder station location and the function to be performed thereby;   transmitting to said plurality of feeder stations a command signal from the central processor including the unique address of a particular feeder station;   feeding a document from said particular feeder station in response to the command signal; and   updating the data table in the central processor after the feeder station has fed the document to include data as to the status of a coded document.   
     
     
       19. The method recited in claim 18, wherein: the steps of accessing, feeding, and updating are undertaken for each feeder station during each cycle of operation of the inserter.   
     
     
       20. A universal multi-station document inserter, comprising: a plurality of feeder means arranged to feed documents;   address means associated with each of said feeder means to specify a unique address for each of said feeder means;   distributed processor means associated with each of said feeder means;   scanner means for detecting the presence of a predetermined code on a coded document; and   central processor means interconnected to said scanner means and said distributed processor means for activating said distributed processor means in response to a signal from said scanner means, which signal indicates the presence of a coded document having the predetermined code.   
     
     
       21. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 20, including: means for receiving address data specifying a unique address for each of said feeder means;   comparator means for comparing the data received by said means for receiving data with the unique address specified by said address means to provide an acknowledge signal when there is a coincidence therebetween.   
     
     
       22. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 20, including: means for reading data from said central processor means in response to a transfer acknowledge signal;   said central processor means issuing a feed command to said feed means in accordance with data stored therein; and   means for updating the data in said central processor means in response to the actions of said feeder means.   
     
     
       23. A universal multi-station document inserter, including: a plurality of feeder stations for feeding documents;   distributed processor means associated with each of said feeder stations for feeding documents in accordance with feeder programs stored therein;   address means associated with each of said feeder stations for providing a unique address thereto;   central processor means electrically coupled to said distributed processor means for interaction therewith to initiate the feeding of documents by said feeder stations; and   scanner means electrically coupled to said central processor and said feeder stations for providing signals in correspondence with the coded documents at said feeder stations.   
     
     
       24. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 23, wherein: said central processor means includes PROM means programmed to supervise the feeding of documents by said feeder stations.   
     
     
       25. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 24, wherein: said PROM means includes a configuration PROM means including data which configures the inserter operation in accordance with desired user functions.   
     
     
       26. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 25, wherein: said central processor means includes RAM means for storing the data present in said configuration PROM means;   switch means for enabling the operator to reconfigure said RAM means;   display means for displaying the original inserter configuration present in said configuration PROM means.   
     
     
       27. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 23, wherein: said scanner means provide end of collation signals to said feeder stations.   
     
     
       28. The multi-station document inserter recited in claim 23, wherein: said feeder stations are constructed in modules for interconnection to provide the desired number of feeder stations.   
     
     
       29. The universal multi-station document inserter system recited in claim 23, wherein: said feeder stations are connected in parallel between a signal bus and a power bus;   said central processor is electrically coupled to said signal bus;   said power bus is electrically coupled to a power supply.   
     
     
       30. The universal multi-station document inserter recited in claim 29, including: transport means electrically coupled to a power supply and said central processor for converting low level voltage signals from said central processor to high level voltage signals for driving document transport devices of the document inserter.   
     
     
       31. The multi-station document inserter recited in claim 23, including: display means for displaying the location and a description of any faults present in the inserter in human readable form.   
     
     
       32. A universal multi-station document inserter, including: a plurality of feeder stations arranged to feed documents;   distributed processor means associated with each of said feeder stations;   supervisory control means electrically coupled to said distributed processor means;   scanner means electrically coupled to said supervisory control means;   said supervisory control means being programmed to interact with said feeder stations in accordance with certain predetermined operating conditions desired by a user; and   said supervisory control means including first PROM means programmed with a maximum set of defined inserter configurations and functions and a second PROM means configured to interact with the program of said first PROM means to select a subset of the maximum set of defined inserter configurations and functions to operate the document inserter in accordance with desired customer requirements.   
     
     
       33. The multi-station document inserter recited in claim 32, wherein: said feeder stations are connected in parallel between a signal bus and a power bus;   said supervisory control means is electrically coupled to said signal bus;   said power bus is electrically coupled to a power supply; and   a transport interface means is electrically coupled to said power supply and said supervisory control means for converting low level voltage signals from said supervisory control means to high level voltage signals for driving document transport devices associated with the document inserter.   
     
     
       34. The multi-station document inserter recited in claim 33, including: accessory interface means responsive to signals from said power bus and signal bus for activating accessories.